Collaboration gives me opportunities to share my knowledge while learning from the teachers and students I support. As a middle and high school media specialist, I contribute experience with research, information literacy, and digital resources. Teachers bring knowledge of their subjects and students’ instructional needs. This exchange reflects the ISTE Educator Collaborator Standard’s emphasis on learning with colleagues and students to improve practice (International Society for Technology in Education, 2024).

I demonstrate this standard through departmental resource sharing and research assistance. I shared Building the Digital Citizen and the Metuchen Digital Citizenship Blueprint with the middle and high school English Language Arts and Social Studies departments to support digital citizenship instruction across subjects. These presentations provide a starting point for conversations about connecting information literacy to existing lessons. I also use our district’s database resource guide when assisting teachers and students with classroom research. These activities align with the American Association of School Librarians’ (2020) description of the school librarian as an instructional partner. They remind me to listen carefully to teachers’ goals and students’ questions so that my contributions address their needs.

My graduate studies have encouraged me to build on these connections through more intentional shared planning. Learning Forward (n.d.) emphasizes mutual respect for educators’ expertise and shared responsibility for improving learning. This perspective encourages me to move from sharing resources toward developing lessons with teachers and examining student work together to improve instruction. I also want students to exchange research strategies and contribute their technology knowledge. Through these partnerships, I can continue learning alongside colleagues and students while strengthening the connection between the media center and classroom instruction.